Apparatus for turning on



(No Model.)

LE ROY S. WHITE. APPARATUS FOR TURNING 0N, LIGHTING, AND TURNING OFF GAS BY ELECTRICITY.

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e z j //M u 0 m u W b v w d 3 t a P N Pmns. Pholo-Limegnpher, Walhington. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LE nor s. WHITE, or WATERBURY, eoNnEcTIcuT.

APPARATUS FOR TURNING ON, LIGHTING, AND TURNING OFF GAS BY ELECTRICITY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,106, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed November 20, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, LE ROY S. \VHITE, of \Vaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Turning On, Lighting, and Shutting Off Gas by Electricity, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus which resembles that shown and described in my United States Letters Patent No. 282,816, dated August 7 ,1883, in that it has a gas'valve attached directly to and operated by the movable core of an electro-magnet and a perma nent magnet, which by its action, when currents of reversed polarity are passed through the line-wire,serves to block the core and lock the valve open or to unlock the core and allow the valve to close.

According to my former invention the permanent magnet is moved by currents of reversed polarity, as above described, and caused to form of itself a positive block or look to hold the core raised and the gas-valve open; but I have now discovered that substantially the same result may be accomplished by a permanent magnet which remains fixed either by being secured fast in the case of the apparatus or by reason of its inertia, and which attracts and repels (according to the polarity of the current) an arm projecting from the movable core and lying between the poles of the permanent magnet. By a current of one polarity the arm is brought above a step or projection by which the core is held up and the valve open, and by a current of reversed polarity the said arm is removed from such step or projection and the core falls and allows the valve to come to its seat. This arm may be fixed to the core, in which event the core will be turned slightly by thelateral movement of the arm; or the arm may be arranged to turn slightly on the core, but incapable of lengthwise movement thereon.

The invention consists in combinations of parts hereinafter described,and pointed out in the claims.

The accompanying drawings are made to a scale considerably larger than actual size. Figure lis a vertical section of an apparatus (No model.)

embodying my invention and representing a permanent magnet fixed in the lower part of the case and adapted to act upon an arm projccting from and fixed in the core, the core be ing in its lowest position and the valve closed. Fig. 2 is a partly sectional elevation of the lower part of the apparatus, showing the core in its elevated position and held up by its arm resting upon the locking step or projection. Fi 3 is ahorizontal section on the plane of the dotted line :0 m, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a central vertical section of an appai atus embodying a modification of my invention, the permanent magnet being atthe top of the electro magnet and the valve being closed. Fig. 5 is a partly sectional elevation of the upper part of the apparatus, showing the core as held up by the arm resting upon the locking step or projection, which in this example of the invention is formed by the end of the permanent magnet. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectionon the plane of the dotted line y y, Fig. 4-, looking upward; and Fig. 7 is a partly sectional elevation of the lower portion of a core corresponding to that shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, but having an arm which may turn slightly thereon.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

In all the figures A designates the body of the case surmounted by the usual tipsockeha. in which is the tip a,and having its lower end closed by a base-piece, A, screwed or otherwise secured therein and threaded to lit the gas-pipe. (Not here shown.)

B designates the coil of the electro-magnet, and B B" the lower and upper heads thereof, the lower head, 3, being in both examples of my invention, illustrated by Figs. 1 and Al, of insulating material. lhe coil B is wound upon a tube, Z), in which is the core 0, free to move vertically therein,and the magnet and appurtenances are secured in the case by screws d d, which are insulated from the case and tapped into nuts d consisting of small pins or blocks set into the insulating material of thehead B, and having the two terminals of the magnetcoil B electrically connected with them.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it will be seen that the core 0 terminates below the lOO top of the magnet, and the soft-iron armature therefor consists of the head 13 and a projection, c, thereon entering the tube Z). The head B also has an upward projection or hub, c, entering the tip-socket c and bored axially to receive through it the valve-stem c", which is connected with the movable core 0, and is surmounted by a valve, 0, which closes on a seat, 0*, at the top of the hub or projection c. The lower head,l3,is to be cut away or notched at the sides (not here shown) for the passage of gas upward past it, and the upper head,B is smaller in diameter than theinterior of the ease, or is notched so as not to obstruct the upward passage of gas. In the hub or projection c are gas-passages 0*, leading to the bore thereof, and when the valve 0 is open gas may pass freely directly into the tip socket a.

To the outside of the case is secured by screws (l d" an arm, d, which is to support a ilxed contact, (not shown,) and the movable contact is to be secured outside the tip-socket a, and on a small roek-shaft, 6 which passes transversely through said socket.

Within the tip-socket and on the shaft 6 is an arm or toe, e, which, as shown, consists of a bent or doubled piece of metal securely clamped by a screw, 6, upon the shaft, and c designates a spring which bears on the inside of the tip a, and holds the movable contact (not here shown) against the fixed contact.

When the core- 0 rises to open the valve 0, the latter strikes the arm or toe cand slightly turns the rock-shaft c to break contact and produce sparking.

The line-wire f is attached to the screw (1, and the current passes therefrom through the block (1 and coil of the magnet to the other screw, (2 thence through the arm d and fixed contact to the movable contact and rock-shaft 6 thus to the case and through the gas-pipe to the battery.

The construction and arrangement of the upper head, B of the magnet, the gas-valve c",and the sparking devices are the same as similar parts shown and fully described in my application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 148,276, filed November 19, 1884-, and as no claim is here made to such parts further description or more complete illustration of them is not necessary.

In the upwardly projecting and screwthreaded flange of the base-piece A is formed a notch, g, and at one side thereof is a step or projection, 9, higher than the bottom of the notch, but considerably lower than the top of the said flange of the base-piece. On the top of said flange of the base-piece is secured the permanent magnet D, the form of which is best shown in Fig. 3, and the two poles of which are designated by the letters a s.

From the core 0 an arm, 7L, projects radially and far enough to enter the notch g, as seen in Fig. 3.. The core 0 can rise far enough to bring the arm 71 upon the step or projection 9, but cannot rise far enough to enable the said arm to swing clear of the upwardly-extending flange of the base-piecc. The poles at s of the permanent magnet D are somewhat removed from the sides of the notch and the arm it cannot come in contact with them.

YVith this apparatus there is to be used a double key for the purpose of sending currents of opposite polarity. Suppose that the valve 0" is closed, thearm it being in thenotch as shown in Fig. 1. It a current be sent through the line to energize the magnet-coil B, the core 0 will be raised, and if the current is of the right polarity the attraction and repulsion of the poles of the permanent magnet D, acting on the arm 71, will turn the arm and core suillciently to bring the arm upon the step y, where it rests, as shown in Fig. 2, when the finger is removed from the key, thereby holding the coreup and the valve open. \Vhen it is desired to shut oil" the gas, the second button is pressed and a current of opposite po larity sent, thereby energizing the electromagnet to cause it to raise the core, and cansing the arm h to move away from and oil the step 9. The arm it passes into the notch 1 when the core falls and the gas is shut oil.

In the example of the invention shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 the gas-valve c" is at the bottom of the core 0, and the valve-seat 0* is in the base-piece A, the tube I) being extended upward therefrom and provided with gas-apertures c. In this instance the top head, 13, of the magnet is of non-n'n'tgnetic material, and the s0ft-iron armature c is inserted in the tip-socket a, and is perforated for the passage of gas and for the play of a rod, 0 extending upward from the core 0, and serving to strike the arm 6 on the rock-shaft a when the core rises, and thus to effect the operation of the sparking devices.

D designates the permanent magnet, which is annular in form, its poles being designated by the letters a s. In one of the ends of the magnet D and 011 its upper side is formed a shoulder or step, 9.

As shown, the core 0 is surmounted by a head or disk, G, of non-magnetic materialsuch as brassand having at the edge a downwardly-prejecting portion or tongue, 73, which has a shoulder, t, in its edge, and in which terminates an arm, 71, extending from the core 0, as shown in Fig. 6. The tongue or portion 1 being of brass holds the arm h out of contact with the poles of the permanent magnet D.

Vhen the core 0 is in the position shown in Fig. at, the tongue or portion t rests in the notch formed between the ends of the permanent magnet, and the valve is closed.

XVhen it is desired to open the valve and light the gas, a current is sent through the line-wire, the core is thereby raised sulliciently to enable the shoulder t" on the tongue t to swing onto the step or shoulder g, and if the current be of the right polarity the shoulder 2" will drop into engagement with the shoulder as soon as the finger is removed from the key.

\Vhen it is desired to shut off the gas, the second button of the key is pressed to send a current of polarity oppositeto that first mentioned, and the permanent magnet D, acting upon the arm 71, moves the tongue 2' laterally, so that it will drop into the notch or opening formed between the ends of the permanent magnet D as soon as the finger is removed from the button. The core then falls and the valve is allowed to close.

The permanent magnet D in this example of my invention is not secured fast, but sinr ply rests on the head B of the elcct-ro-magnet, and hence either it or the core may move to bring the shoulders z" ginto and out of engagement. The friction of the magnet D on the head 13 will be greater than the force re quired to turn the core, and hence the core will turn while the permanent magnet will remain stationary by reason of its inertia.

In both the examples ofmy invention above described the core turns to bring it to and remove it from a locking position; but this is not essential. In case it is deemed undesirable for the core 0 to turn, I may arrange the arm h to move laterally or swing round the core independently of the core. In Fig. 7 I have represented the lower portion of a core and an arm so combined and adapted for use in the apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 8. The arm h is constructed with a little sleeve or hub, 71/, which is free to turn on the core 0, and is fitted between shoulders, so that it cannot slide lengthwise thereof Then the core is raised, the action of the permanent magnet will cause the sleeve h to turn very slightly on the core, and will move the arm it into or out of engagement with the step or shoulder g.

W hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a gas-burner, of

an electro-magnet, a movable core and a gasvalve operated by the magnet to open the valve, a permanent magnet, and an arm projecting from the core and lying between the poles of said permanent magnet, and a step or shoulder serving to support the core when attraction takes place between the said arm and one pole of the permanent magnet, sub stantially as herein described. X

2. The combination, with a gas-burner, of an electro-magnet, a movable core and gasvalve operated by the electro-magnet to open the valve, a permanent magnet stationary within the case of the apparatus, an arm projecting from the core and lying between the poles of the permanent magnet, and a step or shoulder in engagement with which said arm is brought by the attraction of one pole of the permanent magnet to hold the core raised and the valve open, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination, with a gasbnrner, of an electro-magnet, a movabie core and gas valve operated by the eleetro-magnet to open the valve, a stationary permanent magnet, an arm fixed to and projecting from the said movable core and lying between the poles of said permanent magnet, and a step or shoulder into engagement with which said arm is brought by the action of the permanent magnet, substantially as herein described.

4. The combination, with the case, consisting of the body A and base-piece A, having the inwardly projecting flange in which is a notch, g, and a step or shoulder, g, of the electro-magnct, and its movable core (J, the arm 71., projecting from the core, and the permanent magnet 1), having its poles on opposite sides of the notch, and step a g, substan tially as herein described.

LE ROY S. \VHITE.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. N. GILLETTE, \VM. M. GILLETTE. 

